


Toss a Coin to Your Witcher

by lotsofquestionslimitedanswers



Series: Finding Our Missing Pieces [1]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Non-Human Jaskier | Dandelion, Rebirth, Temporary Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:40:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24245155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lotsofquestionslimitedanswers/pseuds/lotsofquestionslimitedanswers
Summary: After Jaskier dies, Geralt finds someone who claims to be Jaskier. Could this be Geralt's Jaskier?Excerpt:Geralt has never come across such a complete replica before. Every being has a personal scent that even Dopplers cannot replicate.Geralt is on the defensive immediately. He dismounts Roach and stalks up to the imposter. “Why are you wearing his skin?” Geralt growls.The Jaskier-imposter startles and stares at Geralt with wide eyes. The bitter scent of this imposter’s fear fills the space between them. Geralt’s heart twinges in his chest. An imposter or not, Geralt hates being the reason he is smelling fear on Jaskier. Moments later something else—so strong that Geralt can practically taste it—fills the air. Geralt takes a step back. The Jaskier-imposter reeks of hope of all things.“You’re real.” Jaskier takes a step closer to Geralt and reaches up to touch Geralt’s face.Geralt takes another step back. “Don’t touch me.”
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Finding Our Missing Pieces [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750042
Comments: 19
Kudos: 232





	Toss a Coin to Your Witcher

**Author's Note:**

> Rated T for mentions of a character dying and then coming back to life; there’s also coarse language like what we hear in the show.

**Geralt**

It happens differently every time. The first time it happens, it happens to Jaskier. After a hard (impossible) month of mourning his very best friend in the whole wide world, Geralt runs into a replica of the bard.

It’s morning. The birds are chirping, the sun is shining as Geralt rides Roach through the forest. That’s when he spots him: a person wearing outrageous clothing not fit for walking long-distances carrying nothing with him but a lute—Filavandrel’s lute no less—and what’s worse is that he’s singing “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher”. Geralt has had to leave numerous taverns because bards tried to sing his song—Jaskier’s song—and Geralt could not take hearing it anymore.

Now here Geralt is, hearing this stupid song that Jaskier used to sing to him when they were alone and Geralt couldn’t sleep. This song that Jaskier would sing when Geralt was injured, when Geralt was sad, when Geralt was sick…that Geralt sometimes sang to Jaskier when Jaskier had nightmares. Now Geralt hears this ridiculous song sung by a replica of Jaskier—in Jaskier’s voice. This is the only person Geralt has heard who gets all the chords right, hits all the notes, and sounds _exactly_ like Jaskier.

This imposter looks like Jaskier did when Geralt met him in Posada all those years ago. (To be fair, this version of Jaskier only looks a few years younger than Jaskier looked when he died…Jaskier never did seem to age.) This is a complete likeness right down to Jaskier’s scent.

Geralt has never come across such a complete replica before. Every being has a personal scent that even Dopplers cannot replicate.

Geralt is on the defensive immediately. He dismounts Roach and stalks up to the imposter. “Why are you wearing his skin?” Geralt growls.

The Jaskier-imposter startles and stares at Geralt with wide eyes. The bitter scent of this imposter’s fear fills the space between them. Geralt’s heart twinges in his chest. An imposter or not, Geralt hates being the reason he is smelling fear on Jaskier. Moments later something else—so strong that Geralt can practically taste it—fills the air. Geralt takes a step back. The Jaskier-imposter reeks of _hope_ of all things.

“You’re _real_.” Jaskier takes a step closer to Geralt and reaches up to touch Geralt’s face.

Geralt takes another step back. “Don’t touch me.”

“I’m sorry for trying to touch without permission. I just cannot believe it’s you—that you’re real. I woke up in Oxenfurt and thought it was all a dream—our whole life together seemed like a dream—but nothing,” Jaskier’s voice cracked. “Nothing felt right when I woke up in Oxenfurt. Only the dream. Only when I saw myself living with you going on adventures and becoming a family with Ciri and Yennefer. That’s the only life that felt right—the one in my dreams. I mean, I even woke up with Filavandrel’s lute.” Jaskier gestures to the lute in his hands. “How could that life—the one with you— _not_ be the one where I belonged? The life I woke up to in Oxenfurt didn’t fit, so I left. I had to find out if you were real—if we had in fact traveled together—if we loved each other. It was killing me not to know. I—I—I felt incomplete without you and Yennefer and Ciri—our dear little Ciri.” Jaskier’s face morphs into panic and Geralt can smell his worry. “Oh gosh, Ciri—is she all right? If I remember correctly, she had broken her arm again. Poor girl. It’s always her right one. She needs to train herself to do everything with her left one or she’ll never be able to—whoa,”

Geralt grabs Jaskier by the shirt and slams him against the nearest tree. “Do not speak of Ciri, imposter.” Geralt hisses.

Jaskier stares at Geralt with blue eyes full of hurt. “No. Geralt! Don’t you see? It’s _me!_ Jaskier! I raised Ciri with you and Yennefer! But,” Jaskier tilts his head to the side and crinkles his eyebrows—a gesture Geralt had always found endearing but now makes him want to scream—Jaskier looks at Geralt again, “I—I was…older at the time. Gosh, nearly thirty years older than I am now, but then I,” Jaskier’s eyes widen and he lets out a strangled noise. “I—I died. Didn’t I? That’s what that horrible nightmare I keep having is all about. Isn’t it?”

Geralt shouldn’t entertain this, but he keeps referring to this imposter as Jaskier in his own mind. Perhaps it _is_ Jaskier.

No. Geralt should not hope for that. It will only lead to heartbreak.

And yet…here he is.

“What nightmare?” Geralt can’t help but ask. He truly cannot stop himself…not with the imposter Jaskier staring at Geralt with those big blue eyes—the ones that always make Geralt want to protect Jaskier and give Jaskier anything he wants.

Also, Geralt has never met another living creature who can talk half as fast as Jaskier and this person who claims to be Jaskier is speaking just as quickly as Jaskier always did.

But Geralt doesn’t want to hope it’s Jaskier. Because… _how_ could it be him? What fresh hell turned back the time on Jaskier’s body but allowed him to keep his mind? What curse brought Jaskier back to Geralt?

“In the nightmare I run to help Ciri and then I go flying.” Jaskier explains. “I think the vampire threw me off a cliff—which is frankly, insulting. I would’ve made a fine meal, I’m sure. But _no_ , this vampire decided to just _waste food!”_

Dopplers cannot impersonate someone as perfectly as this version of Jaskier.

Still, Geralt must be sure.

Geralt pulls his silver sword from the sheath strapped to his back and says, “Touch the blade.”

“Ah, yes, silver. To make sure I’m not a monster. Is it a—oh no. I’ve forgotten the name of those changing fellows. You know? The ones who mimic people?” Jaskier touches the silver blade and shows Geralt his hand. “Safe to say I’m not one of those since the silver doesn’t hurt or anything. I think I’m a plain human. Although, that not really aging thing was weird—I’m probably half-elf or something. But I _did_ die and now I’m back for some reason, I guess? That is rather odd; isn’t it?”

Jaskier’s so stupid. Geralt loves him so much.

Geralt lets out a laughing sob and tosses his sword away. He pulls Jaskier into a tight hug. His ridiculous, brave, stupid, soft, reckless, incredible, sweet, bard is back.

Jaskier hugs Geralt back tightly and says, “I’m so glad you’re real. I woke up all alone and I was so confused and I just _had_ to find you. I’m so sorry I left you. I broke my promise. I’m so, so sorry, Geralt. How long has it been for you? Just the month? Oh, who am I kidding with this _just-a-month_ nonsense? I’d be a mess if I’d lost you no matter the amount of time.” Jaskier freezes. “Hang on. Why are you alone? Where’s Yennefer? Where’s Ciri? Actually, don’t tell me. You might not trust me yet, and that’s fine, but—but are they _alive?_ Can you tell me that at least?” Jaskier sniffles. “Please just tell me that. Oh gosh,” Jaskier’s voice falters. “Ciri will be older than me! My baby,” Jaskier lets out a small sob and hugs Geralt tighter, burying his face in Geralt’s chest…right over his heart. “That will be so strange.” Jaskier sniffles, “Oh _fuck_ , Geralt. What are we going to do?”

Tears fill Geralt’s eyes and he hugs Jaskier tighter as Jaskier begins to cry.

“I don’t want this Geralt.” Jaskier sobs into Geralt’s chest. “I want to be how I was before. I want to go back. Why couldn’t I come back to the same age I was before just missing that month? Why will my adopted child be older now? I don’t have any of the scars I got during our travels. It’s like it never happened. This is so strange! I don’t know what to do. What are we going to do? Do you know why this has happened?”

“I don’t know why this happened to you. But, I do know that we’re going home—you and I. I’ll bring you home. Do you remember where that is?”

Jaskier sniffles and nods. “The place we bought on the coast to rest for the winter.”

Geralt leans closer to Jaskier and puts his mouth to his ear. “That’s where our family is.” Geralt whispers. “They needed time to grieve, so they went there.”

Geralt feels Jaskier shiver.

“Why are you telling me?” Jaskier whispers.

“I know it’s you.” Geralt replies.

Jaskier pulls away and stares into Geralt’s eyes. “How?”

“No one talks the way you do.” Geralt shrugs.

Jaskier laughs. “I don’t know if I should consider that a compliment or an insult.”

Geralt chuckles. “I don’t either. But I do know that I’ve missed hearing your voice. It’s a…it’s a comfort.”

“Well, I’ve been traveling alone for nearly a month with no one to talk to, so prepare yourself for a lot of my voice because frankly, I miss having people to talk to. I miss talking to you especially. In the dreams—which I guess I should now call our past—you were always such a good listener.” Jaskier smiles. His eyes twinkle with mischief. “Even though you often pretended that you weren’t listening at all.”

Geralt smiles at Jaskier. His heart feels warm and full just standing beside the bard…his very best friend in the whole wide world…one of the most important people in his life…the one he thought he’d lost forever. Geralt finds himself wrapping his arms around Jaskier again, pulling him into another tight hug.

“Oh, I quite like this.” Jaskier says, hugging Geralt back. “You truly do give the most divine hugs.”

Geralt’s eyes fill with tears and he lets out a choked laugh. He missed this so much. “I missed you.” Geralt whispers. “Oh Jaskier, I missed you _so fucking much_.”

Jaskier hugs Geralt tighter and runs gentle fingers through Geralt’s hair. “Oh, dear heart, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry for this pain I’ve caused you.”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Still, I’m so sorry you were so hurt.” Jaskier presses a gentle kiss into Geralt’s hair. “What can I do to help?”

Geralt takes a few shaky breaths into Jaskier’s shoulder. Then he pulls away and scrubs his face with his sleeve. He feels stupid for asking the question he’s about to ask, but he asks it anyway. “Jaskier? Um…will you sing? Please?” Geralt whispers.

“ _Of course_ , I’ll sing!” Jaskier grins from ear to ear and Geralt can smell the sweetness of Jaskier’s joy and excitement. “Oh, which song to pick…Ooh!” Jaskier shoots Geralt a mischievous look and says, “I know just the one.”

Jaskier begins strumming and Geralt knows which song it is right away.

Geralt interrupts Jaskier’s playing to kiss Jaskier on the forehead. “It’s perfect for our journey home.” Geralt whispers, touching his forehead to Jaskier’s.

Jaskier grins. “I thought so.”

They pull away and walk to Roach who nudges Jaskier’s shoulder. Jaskier laughs and gives Roach some love. Then Jaskier begins playing and singing, “Toss a Coin to Your Witcher.”

Rather than ride Roach, Geralt walks beside Jaskier, careful not to let him out of his sight. Geralt feels like a piece of himself has returned. Now they just need to get home to Yennefer and Ciri. Then the four of them (and Roach) can be a family again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first of a series where Geralt, Jaskier, Yennefer, and Ciri all die and come back to life, finding each other through the ages. These pieces of the story will be out of order and include moments when they're all together and moments when they're finding each other.
> 
> This is set after my other Witcher series, To Be Better To You, but you don't have to read that to follow this one.
> 
> Also, I'm @lotsofquestionslimitedanswers on tumblr and I post my works here on there too!:)
> 
> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think!:)


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